Garden roller manufacture



Feb. 4, 1936.

D. B. BUDD ET AL GARDEN ROLLER MANUFACTURE Filed Aug. 25, 1954 :PatentedFeb. 4, Y1936 .UNITED stares 2,029,518 GARDEN ROLLER MANUFACTURE DavidB. Budd, Anchorville, Mich., and Frank C. Speke, Toledo, OhioApplication August 23, 1934,l Serial No. 741,124

4 Claims.

Ihis invention relates to pressure-applying or v`loaded rollers.

' ,This `invention has utility when incorporated in land or gardenrollers, initially fragile, to take on permanent loaded, completed form.

Referring to the drawing:

1 is a view, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of the inventionin a two-section garden or lawn type of roller to be drawn by hand;

lig. 2 is a group of the elements in knockeddown condition for cratingor shipment;

1Iig.`3 is an end elevation of the set up roller, `with parts brokenaway;

' 4 s a section on the line 1V-iV, Fig. 1;

y and ,Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V, Fig. 1.

LIn carrying out the invention herein, relatively fragile, light gagemold is produced to receive i the loading. To this end there is providedherein treadll of general cylindrical form which may have its endsvwelded together as a continuous cylindrical portion.l Marginally thisportion is reinforced by end pieces, herein shown as end piece 2 havingcurved co-rner 3 to have spot weld assembly 4 as a stiffening for anedge of the tread I. Intermediate stifiening 5 for this outer terminusof the mold extends inward to opening 6 as a centering for hub 1. Theremote end of this drum or cylindrical portion I may have spot weldassembly 8 with outwardlyextending flange 9 for end piece. I0 opposingthe end piece 2.

While the end piece 2 is of general complete form as a mold closure, theend piece I has open-work portions II therein. This portion Ii) extendsinward to central opening I2, aligned with the opening 6, in thusproviding effective centering for the hub 1, herein shown as having finsor wings I3 as keying means against relative rotation and angularshifting of plastic mass I4.

However, in setting up this structure as factory produced, the tread Ihas the end pieces 2, I0, assembled therewith at the weld portions 4, 8,in completing the shelll or mold having the large lling openings II. Thehub 1 is shown with terminal bearing portions I5, I6, through which mayextend bolt I1 as an axle. With this axle in the hub there is, betweenthe bearings I5, I6, chamber I8 with which duct I9 is in communication,thereby providing a lubricant chamber which may be charged through theduct I9 as antifrictional to the motion between the axle I1 and the hub1 in the relative rotation therebetween. The hub 1 extends beyond theend portions 2, I0. At the end portion I0 this extension 2li is partialspacing means relatively to companion roller section and providingclearance 2I therebetween. In the instance that these rollers are say 14to 16 inches in diameter and 8 to 10 inches long, this clearance spacemay be 1/3v to 1/4 oi an inch, and the loaded upward of 200 pounds whenthe plastic iiller or cast I4 is of concrete.

Terminus or extension 22 ofthe hub 6 is engaged by eye 23 of yieldablearm 24 sprung inward to be engaged by head 25 of the bolt I1. Companionarm 24 of the handle has its eye about the bolt I1 and engaged by nut 26and threaded portion 21 of the bolt I1 into effective gripping relationfor the arms 24 and there anchored '-by key 28 so that the axle I1 isfixed with the arms 24 of the handle and rotation is between the axle I1and the hubs 1, whether there be the multiple even beyond two ci suchsections on the axle I1. These arms 212 are flexed slightly into thisgripping position with the axle. The arms 24 extend4 to convergentportions 29 having rigid i spacer plate 30 toward the roller and block3l at their ends, where there is assembled therewith by bolts 32, handle33.

' In manufacture, the handle assembly is cornpleted. The bolt or axlemay be independent and the relatively fragile molds or casting forms I,2, I0, assembled as to the complete casting form. However, in practicethese are made up with as light as twenty gage sheet metal, therebyprimarily serving as a form. However, as reinforced with a concretefiller or casting, these relatively fragile, light weight casting formstake on substantial attributes as a reinforced and loaded complete landroller having garden smoothing and clod crushing properties witheflcient wear. The second roller renders the tool one which may beconveniently angularly shifted by hand even at its mass of the loading.

- Value herein follows not only from the simplicity in the light weightsymmetrical form for the roller skeleton or uncharged section, but thatin such form it may be readily transported to a place of retailing oruse in order that at such destination, which may be more or less remotefrom the metal working factory, there may be a charging with the weightmass. This means economy in transportation with a product, as thussimply completed at destination, independent of any extra molds orforms. This type of device is also one which is readily made up at thefactory in metal working in quantity, complete'and ready for marketing,and even marketing for retail at the factory, for the rollers, asskeleton tool have weight of f produced, may be there charged whenconvenient with the plastic or concrete mass for setting and at onceinstalled in the completed tool.

It is thus seen that as the light skeleton structure is to be completedas a roller, it is only necessary to lay the sections on the ends 2 andmake the pours through the openings Il. Such pour is clear of affectingthe axle. The end pieces center the hub at both termini. 'I'he form isdetermined by the tread between end pieces 2, l0, and the end piece I 0determines the extent of ll. It also is of such extent that the tread lis reinforced at the end pieces. There is sufficient amount of web atthe end piece I0 that occasion for breaking out of the concrete mass orcasting I4 does not arise even under rough usage.

Furthermore, this concrete exposure is not terminally of the set uproller sections, but as to such regions there is complete armoring atthe end pieces 2 even if of a wide gage, for they are reinforced by thecement backing or ller. The clearance between the roll sections is notsuch that attack of the exposed concrete may occur therethrough butthere is such clearance that relative freedom of rotation may occur asto the roll sections, especially in making turns of the tool. By theterm handle is meant the draft member adapted for pushing or pulling thetool.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garden roller section comprising a tread, end pieces, a hubcentered by the end pieces, one of said end pieces having opening meansfor pouring of a cast therein, said hub having key projection means tocooperate with the cast, an axle having spaced bearings terminally ofthe hub, said spaced bearings of the axle and hub providing a lubricantchamber along the axle for the bearings, a duct through an end piece tosaid chamber, and a roller propelling handle fixed with the axle.

2. A garden roller comprising aligned roller sections, each sectionhaving a hub protruding for spacing the sections, and an axle throughthe hubs to provide a propelling handle xed with the axle termini, eachsection as away from the axle termini having hub centering means, atread for the section reinforced by the centering means, said centeringmeans having open work between the hub and tread to provide concretecast pouring opening means adapted to receive a plastic charge when atdestination for use, in that the uncharged section may be an eiTectivemold to be then loaded.

3. A garden roller section comprising a tread, end pieces, a hubcentered by the end pieces, one of said end pieces having opening meansfor pouring of a load into the section; said hub having means tocooperate with the load and through the tread, end pieces and hubproviding holding means for the load; an axle having spaced bearingsterminally of the hub, said spaced bearings of the axle and hubproviding a lubricant chamber isolated from the load and along the axlefor the bearings, a duct through an end piece to said chamber, and aroller propelling handle xed i with the axle.

4. A garden roller comprising aligned roller sheet metal sections, eachsection having a hub protruding for spacing the sections, and an axlethrough the hubs to provide a propelling handle :I

xed with the axle termini, each section as away from the axle terminihaving disk means, a tread for the section reinforced by the centeringmeans, said centering means having an opening between the hub and treadthrough which the section is adapted to receive a load when atdestination for use, in that the uncharged section may be an effectiveload holder to be then loaded,

DAVID B. BUDD. FRANK C, SPEKE.

